We were lucky to catch up with Amanda Lauer recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amanda, appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
I was first introduced to historical fiction romances as a teen. The books available in that genre were generally referred to as “bodice rippers.” As I built my career as a freelance journalist, I knew I had the ability to write and somewhere along the line, the seed was planted in my heart to write an historical fiction romance, but not the standard fare. I was determined to write a sweet historic romance, one that I’d be proud to have my children and grandchildren read someday. With nine books published over the course of nine years, I’ve managed to live out my mission “to write wholesome, unforgettable stories that align with my faith and values to touch the hearts of countless people worldwide.”
Amanda, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Amanda Lauer and I’m an award-winning author focusing in the YA (Young Adult) genre, I started my career as a proofreader, worked my way into freelance journalism, and from there broke into the author world in 2014 with the publication of my novel, A World Such as Heaven Intended, which was based on the true story of a friend’s great-great-uncle’s experiences as a soldier in the Civil War who was conscripted against his will to fight for the enemy army. That book, which was meant to be one-and-done for my author career, turned into the Heaven Intended series, which now has five titles with the sixth book in production. I also write time-travel novels, including Anything But Groovy, where a modern 7th-grade teen falls back in time and must live her mom’s 7th-grade year where she’s bullied by the class jock, has to navigate her mom’s friendships, and try not to mess her mom’s life up too much–all without the conveniences of modern technology. My latest time-travel tale, Royal & Ancient, finds a 17-year-old girl working at a golf course when she’s thrown back in time to the oldest golf course in the world, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, in the year 1691, on the eve of the Glencoe Massacre. What sets my writing apart from others is the decades of experience I have in the field, the extensive research I conduct for my novels, and the sweet romances that have just enough conflict to keep you cheering for our female and male protagonists. I’m most proud that I’ve done something that so many people claim they want to do but don’t. I’ve written 10 books now and have four more on the docket. Not only are they written, but written well considering the number of awards I’ve received for my writing. My goal is for countless people to be moved by my books and that the books will reach a further audience by being produced as movies or a television series. My husband and I are working towards that goal now, and with God’s guidance and the physical and financial assistance of people who find themselves in alignment with this dream, we hope to see the fruits of our labor in the not-too-distant future. We’re currently looking for more kindred spirits to partner up with us!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My husband always says, “Never bet against Amanda.” Over the course of the last six years, numerous entities have approached me about making one of my books into a movie or limited-run television series. These were big names in the movie industry, people who happened upon my work by chance, read one of my books, and was taken in by the story and saw the potential for something bigger with the story. We’ve gotten so close to being green-lit but each time something happened and things didn’t work out for one reason or another. I haven’t been waiting around for a contract, I keep writing and pushing forward, following every lead that I run across that could move one of these projects towards our goal. Currently, three of my books are in the hands of entities that could turn any one of them into a movie or series. God’s got a plan for these books, I’m working on being patient as things play out and praying that the people with the right resources will appear in our lives to bring these projects to fruition.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the feedback from readers, particularly teens. When people approach me at a book signing and tell me how excited they are to meet me or how much they love my work, it makes all the years of work and struggle to bring these stories to life worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://amandalauer.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandalauerauthor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090820185794
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amlauer
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandalauer23
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/AmandaLauerAuthor/royal-ancient/